Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2009 11:23:59 GMT
Nov 28, 2009 16:23:27 GMT @chrish said:
Something I should've done before I set off this morning! I got as far as Walsall Services on the M6! Options then were Kiddy V AFC Wimbledon or wait around a few hours for the Villa V Spurs match on later. I was hoping that Walsall might be at home but in fact they are playing at Brentford, a mere two miles away from my home! 'kin hell!
We opted for Wigan v Sunderland which - even when giving credit to Wigan in the aftermath of last week's result - can hardly be described as a classic. Sunderland simply got worse and worse as the game progressed.
But at least we got into the game. Upon arrival we were told we wouldn't be allowed to buy tickets without being on the club's database. Thankfully a friendly "off-the-record" piece of advice from a steward - suggesting we should find a kind home fan willing to buy tickets on our behalf - resulted in us eventually gaining admission at the very reasonable price of £20.
And the whole experience (surroundings, players, type of football) was in complete and utter contrast to when I saw the two clubs meet each other at Springfield Park in the old Third Division in 1988. That day I stood with the Mackems on the grassy bank behind the goal as various headcases, in the wake of the Winter Olympics, attempted Eddie the Eagle-style jumps down the slope to the joyful rendition of "You can stick your Mirandinha up your arse!"
Indeed, much to my delight, the whole incident was remembered in yesterday's programme (which also reminded me that John Benson remains as Wigan's general manager). Don't you just love Sunderland fans? (5,500 of them there yesterday).
The grassy - invariably muddy - bank at Springfield Park:
More at: www.wigan.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=179141
As for the programme, I think we'll draw a line through John Cornforth, eh?
Springfield Park (infamous away end to the right):
What is now the DW Stadium (ex-JJB). Keep going through the retail park and you'll get there:
From Aerofilms guides.